Members of the Humane Society with Mayor Peter Carlisle and Council member Ikaka Anderson. Photo courtesy City Hall

By Hawaii Ahe Staff Reports

(Honolulu)–Initially organized on the Iolani Palace grounds in 1883, the steadily expanding Hawaiian Humane Society opened its shelter in the heart of Moiliili in 1942. Welcoming nearly 30,000 animals annually, The Society, an independent local not for profit, has today grown into a wide-reaching agency which not only offers animal care and shelter, but features 30 programs and services focused on education, the human animal bond, volunteerism, and the ever-important task of passing legislation to protect and improve the lives of animals.

The Hawaiian Humane Society, which was recently recognized at City Hall, its staff and its more than 400 volunteers provide for dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits and turtles 24/7, 365 days a year as the only open door admission shelter on Oahu. “Their door is never closed. The Society rescues animals from harmful situations and from being homeless, and removes and protects them from unhealthy and unsafe environments,” said Anderson.

The Hawaiian Humane Society teaches and promotes the human animal bond through responsible pet ownership, adoption projects, teen activism events, their spay/neuter program, education curriculum for teachers, speaking engagements, and student contests through art and creative writing. In its position that “Pets are Family too,” The Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pets in Housing Program finds solutions for landlords and pet-loving tenants to keep families and pets together, provides emergency foster care for those in need—fleeing domestic violence, hospitalized owners and deployed military—and offers an off-leash dog park to gather.

In 1897 the Hawaiian Humane Society was deputized to enforce the animal cruelty law. Through its animal care and control contract with the City and County, it is the only organization outside of the Honolulu Police Department that can investigate cruelty on behalf of the City & County of Honolulu. The Hawaiian Humane Society is to be commended for its recent work so diligently carried out during a windward puppy mill case. When profit is more important than animal welfare, pet owner responsibility is misplaced and the animals become victims. In 2006, after a Kahaluu puppy mill incident, the Society initiated legislation that would enable the courts to award ownership of animals in a cruelty case to the Humane Society before the outcome of the criminal trial. In the recent 2011 windward puppy mill case, the presence of this law won the Hawaiian Humane Society custody of all 153 dogs and 79 yet-to-be-born puppies involved. The widely-publicized event drew much attention from the community. Many families and foster providers are currently adopting their newest family members.

“Therefore, on behalf of the people of the City and County of Honolulu, the City Council hereby recognizes, thanks, and honors The Hawaiian Humane Society for its exemplary community service and wishes it many more years of outstanding success,” Andersonconcluded.